سَكَنتُ إِلى الدُنيا فَلَمّا عَرَفتُها

سَكَنتُ إِلى الدُنيا فَلَمّا عَرَفتُها

تَمَنَّيتُ أَنّي لَستُ فيها بِساكِنِ

تَمَنَّيتُ أَنّي لَستُ فيها بِساكِنِ

I found repose in the world, but when I came to know it,

I settled into this world, but when I understood it

I wished I were not a dweller in it.

I wished I did not reside in it

وَما فَتِئَت تَرمي الفَتى عَن قُسِيَّها

وَما فَتِئَت تَرمي الفَتى عَن قُسِيَّها

بِكُلِّ الرَزايا مِن جَميعِ الأَماكِنِ

بِكُلِّ الرَزايا مِن جَميعِ الأَماكِنِ

And it has never ceased shooting at man from its bows,

It does not cease casting the young man from his firmness

with every calamity, from every quarter.

With all kinds of calamities from every place

وَما سَمَحَت لّزائِراتِ بِأَمنِها

وَما سَمَحَت لّزائِراتِ بِأَمنِها

وَلا لِلمَواكي في أَقاصي المَواكِنِ

وَلا لِلمَواكي في أَقاصي المَواكِنِ

Nor has it granted roaring lions safety,

It did not allow safety for its visitors

nor whistling birds in the remotest roosts.

Nor for those lamenting in its farthest places

رَكَنّا إِلَيها إِذ رَكَونا أُمورَها

رَكَنّا إِلَيها إِذ رَكَونا أُمورَها

فَقُل في سَفاهٍ لِلرَواكي الرَواكِنِ

فَقُل في سَفاهٍ لِلرَواكي الرَواكِنِ

We leaned on it when we put its affairs in order;

We sought refuge in it when we tended to its affairs

so speak of the folly of those who set it right and trust it.

So say to the shelterers in the shelters, in folly

فَأَينَ الشُموسُ اليَعرُبِيّاتُ قَبلَنا

فَأَينَ الشُموسُ اليَعرُبِيّاتُ قَبلَنا

بِها كُنَّ فَاِسأَل عَن مَآلِ البَهاكِنِ

بِها كُنَّ فَاِسأَل عَن مَآلِ البَهاكِنِ

Where, then, are the Yaʿrubite suns who, before us,

Where are the brilliant suns that were before us?

were in it? Ask, then, the fate of those tender, full-figured women.

With them, be, so ask about the outcome of the ruined

زَكَنَّ المَنايا أَن زَكَونَ فَنِعمَةٌ

زَكَنَّ المَنايا أَن زَكَونَ فَنِعمَةٌ

مِنَ اللَهِ دامَت لِلزَواكي الزَواكِنِ

مِنَ اللَهِ دامَت لِلزَواكي الزَواكِنِ

They knew their doom, for they were pure—a blessing

The fates smiled that we were smiling, so it is a blessing

from God, enduring for the pure and discerning.

From God that lasted for the smilers in the shelters

جُمِعنا بِقُدرٍ وَاِفتَرَقنا بِمِثلِهِ

جُمِعنا بِقُدرٍ وَاِفتَرَقنا بِمِثلِهِ

وَتِلكَ قُبورٌ بُدِّلَت مِن مَساكِنِ

وَتِلكَ قُبورٌ بُدِّلَت مِن مَساكِنِ

We were gathered by power, and parted by its like;

We were brought together by fate and separated just the same

and those are graves, substituted for dwellings.

And those are graves substituted from dwellings

نَفَتنا قُوىً لا مُضرَباتٌ لِسالِمٍ

نَفَتنا قُوىً لا مُضرَباتٌ لِسالِمٍ

بَلابِلَ وَلا مُستَدرَكاتٌ بِلَكِنِ

بَلابِلَ وَلا مُستَدرَكاتٌ بِلَكِنِ

Forces banished us, not to be set aside for one free

We dismissed forces, no strikes for a greeter

of troubles, nor qualified with a 'but.'

Confusions and no inferences with softness